The Bowling Green State University women’s basketball team secured an 80-62 win over the University of Akron on Wednesday night in Mid-American Conference play at the Stroh Center.
Sophomore Johnea Donahue led Bowling Green with 21 points and six steals. She was one of four Falcons to score in double figures, joined by junior Paige Kohler with 19 points, sophomore Lauren Gerken with 13, and senior Kaia Woods who contributed 10 points. Woods also collected a game-high 10 rebounds against her former team, recording a double-double.
Akron’s Shaena Brew scored 17 points while Liz Murphy added 10 off the bench for the Zips, who remain winless in conference play.
Bowling Green struggled offensively in the first quarter, shooting just 21 percent from the field but maintained a lead by making 10 of their first 14 free throws. The team’s shooting improved during the second and third quarters, going a combined 18-for-35 from the floor. By late in the third quarter, Bowling Green had built a lead as large as 29 points.
Akron narrowed the deficit to 12 points with just over three minutes left in regulation. However, Kohler responded immediately with a three-pointer that helped secure Bowling Green’s victory. Junior Joniyah Bland-Fitzpatrick added six points for Bowling Green, including key baskets during a decisive late run.
Junior Taya Ellis finished with eight points and eight rebounds—seven on offense—on her birthday.
Bowling Green attempted more than twice as many free throws as Akron (31 to Akron’s 15) and made twice as many (22 to Akron’s 11). The Falcons also held advantages in scoring inside (44-20) and on fast breaks (30-5).
The Falcons will travel to Toledo this weekend for their first meeting of the season against their rivals at Savage Arena. Following that game, they will visit Kent State before returning home to host Coastal Carolina as part of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge.
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